


All Lies Lead to the Truth

by lilywafiq, PhryneFicathon



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-02-23 15:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13192581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilywafiq/pseuds/lilywafiq, https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhryneFicathon/pseuds/PhryneFicathon
Summary: “We were happy, and then she wasn’t.”





	All Lies Lead to the Truth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kid_n_the_hall](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kid_n_the_hall/gifts).



> I really wanted to write something happier, but this is where the prompt (" _All lies lead to the truth._ \--Dana Scully") took me. It gets happier at the end, I promise! I might come back to this little ‘verse at some point, explore it some more, but for now this is just a small glimpse into Jack and Phryne’s relationship.

“I don’t need you, Jack Robinson! I don’t need anyone! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

Jack let the words replay over and over in his mind. They were just as much a slap in the face now as they were when they’d been spoken to him weeks prior, the last time he’d seen Phryne Fisher. 

Things had been going so well. Phryne had returned from England, and happily rejoined him in investigating murders. Their budding romance had begun to grow, and Jack had been truly happy. He thought Phryne had been as well, but out of the blue she’d thrown him out of her house and he hadn’t seen her since. 

To say that his mood had been sour would be an understatement, and the other officers at the City South Police Station had noticed, and had started avoiding Jack at all costs. Only loyal Hugh was still working with Jack, but Jack knew if he didn’t get over it soon, even Hugh would be stretched to his limits. 

“Perhaps if you call?” Hugh had suggested the previous day. “Dot says Miss Fisher is missing you as well.”

“If Miss Fisher misses me, she can be the one to call,” Jack had replied viciously. “I’ve moved on.”

Hugh had just given Jack a disbelieving look, but wisely chose to drop the subject.

But Jack wasn’t angry at Phryne. He was sad, confused, definitely lonely, but not angry. Despite having watched Phryne grow and open up over the years, he knew that she was fiercely independent, and that starting a relationship with her always ran the risk of it ending abruptly. But Jack would be lying if he said he hadn’t hoped it would be different with him.

Jack ran into Dr Macmillan a few days later, who eyed him warily.

“How are you coping?” she asked.

“How am I coping? I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?” Jack replied.

“Well, I saw Phryne a few days ago,” Mac replied. “She’s, well... not herself.”

“She did kick me out, you know that, right? We were happy, and then suddenly she wasn’t.”

“I think you should talk to her.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Jack demanded. “Again, she kicked me out, I didn’t just leave. If she wants to talk, she can come to me.”

Mac just sighed and left Jack to his work.

It was Dot next. Sweet Dorothy Collins. She dropped by the station to bring Hugh some lunch, and had brought enough for Jack as well. Jack thanked her profusely, having missed the quality food that came out of the Fisher household. 

“You would be welcomed back, Inspector,” Dot said conversationally as she tidied up after him. “I know Miss Fisher would love to see you.”

“Hmm. Did she say that?” Jack asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

“Well, not in so many words. But I know she would.” Dot stopped packing items back into her basket to fix Jack with a serious gaze. Jack marvelled at how much the young woman had grown since he first met her. “You need to be careful with her heart. It feels things so much more than you’d expect.”

“And what about my heart?” Jack asked. “Did she stop to think about that when she yelled at me to leave?”

Dot didn’t have a response.

Another two weeks had passed when Jack woke in the middle of the night to find someone sitting beside him on his bed. He felt her presence immediately, her scent wafting over him and calming him. He could just see her by the light on the moon streaming in through his open window.

“Phryne,” he whispered her name like a prayer.

“I’m sorry,” came her quiet reply.

Jack reached out and found her hand. She felt soft, warm, and real, and Jack was reassured that he wasn’t dreaming. Phryne held his hand tightly, as though she couldn’t let go.

“I was scared,” Phryne said, more to the room than to Jack. “I was scared, and stupid, and I made a mistake. Letting you go...”

Jack shuffled up to lean against his headboard. Phryne immediately curled in beside him like they’d done many times before, her head resting on his shoulder.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think,” Phryne said. “And a lot of people telling me what I should and shouldn’t do.”

“Yes, so have I,” Jack replied.

“I hope you can forgive me,” Phryne whispered. “I should never have asked you to leave. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not going to lie,” Jack said, “leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I don’t think I could bear it again. I’m not asking for a commitment, Phryne, you know I’d never ask that of you. But if you decide that you’re done with me again... perhaps it’s best if we go back to being colleagues. I don’t want you out of my life, but I can’t handle that pain again.”

Phryne’s pulled away from Jack slightly, and he could see the worry and pain on her face illuminated by moonlight, matching how he felt. “Jack... I’ve had a lot of time of think. When I told you that I didn’t need you, I think I was trying to convince myself more than anything. But I was wrong, because I do need you. Not having you in my life has been torture.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Jack Robinson,” Phryne sat up next to Jack. “I want to be your wife.”

Whatever Jack had been expecting, it wasn’t that. “Phryne...”

“No, listen. I’ve thought long and hard about what I want for myself, for us, and part of what scared me so much was how much I want you. How much I need you. Please Jack, take me back?”

In the whole time Jack had known Phryne, he’d never known her to beg. Phryne was a woman who took what she wanted, when she wanted, with no cares in the world. This Phryne, however, was vulnerable and baring her soul to him. Dot’s words about Phryne’s heart floated through Jack’s mind.

“I love you,” Jack said, the first time he’d ever said those words to her, and he could see her whole body relax.

“Jack...”

“Come here,” Jack said, reaching out to pull Phryne close. He kissed her desperately, needing to feel her against him after so long apart. “I love you,” he said again.

“I love you, too,” he heard Phryne whisper against his lips. “I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry.”

A while later, they lay side by side, Jack running his fingers along Phryne’s bare skin.

“I’ll need some time,” Jack said. “To figure out exactly what to do. You know I love you, I have for such a long time. But things won’t just go back to the way they were before.”

“I know,” Phryne replied. “I hurt you.”

“You did. But I know it hurt you too. I’m sorry for that.” 

“The feelings you brought up in me scared me so much,” Phryne said. “I never expected to fall in love, especially with you, but somehow I did. I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you how I feel.”

“I want to do the same for you,” Jack replied. 

“I watched you fall in love with me,” Phryne said. “I don’t know how it took me so long to realise I’d fallen for you, too.”

Jack leant over for a quick kiss. “I’m glad you figured it out.”

“Me too.”

Phryne snuggled in close to Jack, and Jack smiled as he fell asleep.


End file.
